And my young Republican friends feel the same way
about their party."
"Well, I guess I stand about where you do. I believe in parties. I don't
think there's much gained by jumping around from one party to another;
and independent movements are as likely to do harm as good. I don't mind
confessing to you that I had a good notion to join the Democratic schism
in '96, and support Palmer and Buckner. But I didn't, and I'm not sorry
I kept regular and held on. I believed the silver business would pass
over; and it's out of sight. They charged me with voting the Republican
ticket in '96; but that's a lie. I've never scratched a ticket since I
first voted, and"--Bassett smiled his grim smile--"I've naturally voted
for a good many rascals. By the way, how much are you seeing of Atwill?"
"I make a point of seeing him once a week or oftener. When I'm downtown
at night I usually catch him for a late supper."
"The 'Courier' is regular, all right enough. It's a good property, and
when our party gets through chasing meadow-larks and gets down to
business again it will be more valuable. Was that your editorial
yesterday on municipal government? Good. I'm for trying some of these
new ideas. I've been reading a lot of stuff on municipal government
abroad, and some of those foreign ideas we ought to try here. I want the
'Courier' to take the lead in those things; it may help"--and Bassett
smiled--"it may help to make the high brows see that ours has really
been the party of progress through these years when it's marched
backward.
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